(UPDATE: For now you can still clip these coupons for $1 off, but the big deal is done! Want to know our latest deal finds? Watch here on the blog, like our Facebook page, and listen to us on-the-air.) Big families often have big diaper budgets. But here’s a way to save a ton with a crazy good deal from Amazon: 55% off Huggies diapers and wipes. We (The Osbornes) just used it, and it works! Essentially, all you need to do is use one of the 35% off coupons below from Huggies, and then you get an EXTRA 20% OFF when you opt to “Subscribe & Save” with these items. (Don’t worry – you can cancel this later.) Keep in mind: these sales are usually temporary, so don’t wait! Also, our family may get a commission from sales related to these links. Step-by-step instructions: Make sure you have Amazon Prime. If you don’t have it, sign up for a free one-month trial here. “Clip” one of the Huggies 35% OFF COUPONS below: Huggies Snug & Dry Diapers Huggies Little Snugglers Diapers Huggies Little Movers Diapers Huggies Baby Wipes Select the size diapers you wish to order. Click “Subscribe and Save,” and it will show you your savings! (See the screen shot below.) Want to max out this deal? Repeat these steps for each coupon! You can repeat this deal with each of the 4 coupons above for a total of 3 boxes of diapers and one box of wipes all at 55% off! Now is also a great time to add anything else you regularly order for an extra 15% off of those...

EpiPen maker Mylan is in the middle of a firestorm from the media and general public for their recent and substantial price hike. As a medical professional, the crazy price for EpiPens is not news to me, and if you have a child with a severe allergy, it’s probably not new news to you, either. But price aside, I wanted to take a minute to address a related issue here on the Above Average blog. (While we don’t have life-threatening allergies in our family, you may: bigger families are statistically more likely to have a kiddo who has a health issue like a food allergy!) There are many ideas being tossed around for alternatives to the expensive EpiPen device, particularly one that suggests an ampule of epinephrine and a sub-q syringe is a cheaper, equivalent alternative. One way it’s going around is in this viral meme that has hit my Facebook wall numerous times: Beware! Here’s why all of this can be dangerously wrong, even if the creator of the image had good intentions. While this information is technically accurate, it’s very impractical for the average person when someone’s life is on the line. There’s simply too much that could go wrong. As a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner with several years of pediatric acute care experience before my MSN, and also as a mother of five kids, I have given a lot of medication to children for many different reasons, including injections in emergency situations. Epinephrine is a drug you need in an emergent, anaphylactic event. It matters how fast the drug can be administered. Drawing up a medication like this in an emergent situation...

Spacing the births of children is a big deal most families will consider. If you use NFP, considering using these tools, gadgets, and apps to make things a little easier! Hello! I’m Sarah Osborne, a pediatric nurse practitioner, mother of 5, and the wife of Lance who hosts the Above Average podcast. Some people prefer close spacing between babies, allowing children to come however they come. But most parents or parents-to-be will want to consider a bigger gap to allow themselves a breather. Besides this, many parents will eventually feel their family size is “complete” and be ready to do something about it. There are a ton of different ways to avoid pregnancy temporarily or permanently, from oral birth control to IUDs to surgery. But what if you are looking for another way? What if you’re concerned about safety or health with these options? Or maybe you’ve decided that your personal or religious beliefs don’t mesh with artificial birth control or sterilization. Enter Natural Family Planning (NFP) or Fertility Awareness methods. (These names are sometimes considered interchangeable, sometimes not. See here for an argument on how one person feels they’re different.) In other words, these are natural ways to prevent pregnancy, whatever your reason may be. There are many different methods within these categories, but I’m going to tell you a little about a few of the most common devices that can help this method be as or more accurate than Artificial Birth Control and much safer! Natural methods of fertility awareness have come a long way over the years – it’s not just the “rhythm method” or the “calendar method” anymore. These can...